Saxon and UFO

B.B. King Blues Club / New York City, NY

It was déjà vu all over again as original ’80s metallers Saxon paired up with UK hard rockers UFO to invade NYC’s B.B. King’s for two sold-out shows. Saxon opened the show, led by front man Biff Byford who was in fine form as he led the band through a repertoire of their biggest songs. “Power and the Glory,” “Chasin’ The Bullet,” “The Eagle Has Landed” and “Strong Arm of the Law” had the rabid crowd screaming for more. Biff delivered the “more” with Saxon’s signature tune, the headbangin’, hair shakin’ metal anthem “Denim and Leather.” He even included a heart-felt tribute to Lemmy of Motörhead with the song “To Hell and Back Again,” which pretty much summed up their still-ongoing career.

UFO was up next, with original lead singer Phil Mogg fronting the band through their own impressive catalog of hard-rockin’ tunes. “Run Boy Run,” “Lights Out,” “Baby Blue,” “Only You Can Rock Me,” “Burn the House Down” and “Too Hot to Handle” (more cowbell please!) blazed through the by-now delirious audience as lead axe-man Vinnie Moore set the tone for the encore of “Rock Bottom.”

Both Saxon and UFO proved that even these two older machines still have plenty of gas left in their respective tanks.